Optional Side Airbags

Prime8

New member
I haven't really heard anyone ever talk about this issue on the forum before, so I thought I'd ask...

I have a family that rides in my Jeep often, as it is my daily driver, and I want them to be safe. I am looking to get a new JKUR in the near future and was wondering about the side airbag option. Does anyone have any input regarding how these would perform when offroading? I don't want to bump my sliders and have the airbags go off when I'm wheeling. But if they are a safety upgrade that doesn't pose any issues while wheeling, then I think it would be a worthy upgrade.

So, are these a wheeling no-no?
 

Markymark420

New member
I would imagine that they are activated by an accelerometer located in a safe internal location and not an actual switch/sensor located on the rockers. Just my guess.
 

GCM 2

New member
I had never thought about their use/activation offroading, but I have though about their deployment on the street. I think because of my JK's ride height 90% (or more) of the vehicles on the road around me would simply drive under my jeep and maybe turn me over. Not sure about that scenario though :thinking: Now a tractor trailer or full size 3/4 or 1 ton truck might be a different story.
 

kaptkrappy

New member
I haven't really heard anyone ever talk about this issue on the forum before, so I thought I'd ask...

I have a family that rides in my Jeep often, as it is my daily driver, and I want them to be safe. I am looking to get a new JKUR in the near future and was wondering about the side airbag option. Does anyone have any input regarding how these would perform when offroading? I don't want to bump my sliders and have the airbags go off when I'm wheeling. But if they are a safety upgrade that doesn't pose any issues while wheeling, then I think it would be a worthy upgrade.

So, are these a wheeling no-no?

I have seen a couple of videos of people wheeling JK's and the air bags have gone off.
It seems to be very rare and the ones I've seen (videos) the people were lucky they went off.




I would imagine that they are activated by an accelerometer located in a safe internal location and not an actual switch/sensor located on the rockers. Just my guess.

The airbags in the JK work off of an accelerometer that is located under the center console. The accelerometer works in conjunction with a yaw/pitch/roll sensor (a type of gyroscope) that is also located in the center console. If the deceleration (G force) and pitch, roll or yaw of the vehicle hits (no pun intended) a specific threshold, the airbags and the seat belt pre-tensioners are deployed as needed. There is no "contact" style sensors located in the bumper or on the vehicle, it is all based on the two sensors located near the center of the vehicle. The pitch, roll, yaw sensor also controls the stability control system.

disclaimer; I read this somewhere.

.



 

GCM 2

New member
Nice

Thanks for that post Kapt! I have learned something new today, it's going to be a good one then :rock:
 

StrizzyChris

New member
The airbags in the JK work off of an accelerometer that is located under the center console. The accelerometer works in conjunction with a yaw/pitch/roll sensor (a type of gyroscope) that is also located in the center console. If the deceleration (G force) and pitch, roll or yaw of the vehicle hits (no pun intended) a specific threshold, the airbags and the seat belt pre-tensioners are deployed as needed. There is no "contact" style sensors located in the bumper or on the vehicle, it is all based on the two sensors located near the center of the vehicle. The pitch, roll, yaw sensor also controls the stability control system.




Good info. I have read that somewhere, as to the reason sometimes an airbag will deploy and sometimes not. For some reason my feeble mind couldnt accept it! lol
 

mrmike

New member
I ended up special ordering my JKU as most of the dealers in San Diego stocked them without the airbags. The Saftey of my family was worth waiting. If you look up the side impact results you'll see JKs don't perform all that well. The testing is on models without the airbags. I figured it was a no brainer.

My JKU only has 6k miles on it but I've worked it pretty good. Some rocks (John Bull last weekend) and fast stuff (Barstow to Vegas). No problems. I can't see getting one without them.
 
Top Bottom